er); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly
enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern
basin
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium,
copper, phosphates, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 29%
forest and woodland: 62%
other: 7%

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1989)

Environment:
current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water
pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable;
deforestation
natural hazards: seasonal flooding
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Ozone Layer
Protection, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea,
Tropical Timber 94

Geographic note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville,
Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them

People
------

Population: 2,527,841 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 550,971; female 545,096)
15-64 years: 53% (male 657,035; female 688,441)
65 years and over: 4% (male 34,973; female 51,325) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.19% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 39.19 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 17.35 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 108.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 45.77 years
male: 44.21 years
female: 47.37 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.15 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic divisions:
south: Kongo 48%
north: Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%
center: Teke 17%, Europeans 8,500 (mostly French)

Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Languages: French (official), African languages (Lingala and
Kikongo are the most widely used)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 74.9%
male: 83.1%
female: 67.2%